The construction industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation, with activity driven by an increased focus on environmental sustainability and workplace safety, and the growing importance of technologies such as the Internet of Things, AI and robotics. In the last three years alone, there have been over 27,000 patents filed and granted in the construction industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in construction: modular scaffolding system. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilizing and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
80+ innovations will shape the construction industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the construction industry using innovation intensity models built on over 240,000 patents, there are 80+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, waterproof floor drains, adjustable width road pavers and construction 3D printing are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Floating breakwaters, self-healing concrete and building panel interlocking are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are pneumatic door closers and embossed floor panels, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the construction industry
Modular scaffolding system is a key innovation area in construction
Modular scaffolding is a temporary structure used to support access or working platforms. The scaffolding is formed of standardized components, or modules, that can be easily assembled and disassembled. These modules consist of frames, braces, guardrails, platforms and ladders that are linked by coupling devices and pins to construct the required scaffold geometry. Modular scaffolding systems provide flexibility to reconfigure scaffolding layouts as needed, and allow for easy transportation and storage.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 370 companies, spanning technology vendors, established construction companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of modular scaffolding system.
Key players in modular scaffolding system – a disruptive innovation in the construction industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to modular scaffolding system
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| China State Construction Engineering | 188 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Railway Group | 47 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council | 35 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Air Liquide | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Brand Industrial Services | 30 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State Grid Corporation of China | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Communications Construction Group | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| The First Company of China Eighth Engineering Bureau | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Power Construction Corporation of China | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Alinco | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ConXtech | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Teletower Com | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Boeing | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Metallurgical Corporation of China | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Suzhou Gold Mantis Construction Decoration | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Southern Power Grid | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Safe Rack | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wuxi Longhaijie Machinery Manufacturing | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Zhongru Investment | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Layher W Verwaltungs | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Group | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kee Safety | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sam Carbis Asset Management | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wilhelm Layher | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nantong Sijian Construction Group | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State Grid Xin Yuan | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanghai Construction Group | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Third Metallurgical Group | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China National Chemical Engineering Group | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Jiangsu Suzhong Construction Group | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Shanxi Sijian Group | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nippon Steel | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| TUBESCA-COMABI | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Comet II | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Railway First Group | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Construction First Bureau (Group) | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanghai Tunnel Engineering | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| KRAUSE-Werk | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Xi'An Dingzi Electronic Information Science & Technology | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CCCC-SHEC Third Highway Engineering | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Yunnan Construction Investment | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Communication South Road & Bridge | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Metallurgical Group | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanxi Industrial Equipment Installation Group | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sinohydro Bureau 3 | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Construction Second Bureau Installation Engineering | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Three Gorges | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sinohydro Bureau 9 | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Tianjin No.2 Construction Engineering | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Construction Fifth Engineering Bureau | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
China State Construction Engineering (CSCEC), a provider of engineering, building construction and contracting services, is one of the leading patent filers in modular scaffolding systems. One of the key innovations by the company is the development of a mobile intelligent building construction load-bearing platform, which is equipped with a support chassis at the bottom and a protective assembly with a protective fence. The top of the support chassis is equipped with a lifting and adjusting mechanism and an intelligent transmission mechanism. A rotating shaft, located on both sides of the top of the support chassis, increases the load-bearing capacity of the structure, and allows construction materials on the top of the platform to be pushed away together conveniently and quickly.
In terms of application diversity, leading innovators in the development of modular scaffolding systems include Safe Rack, a manufacturer of industrial safety products and fall protection systems, and The Boeing, a designer, developer, and manufacturer of commercial and military aircraft.
By means of geographic reach, leading companies in the space include Air Liquide, Safe Rack and ConXtech.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the construction industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Construction.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
